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A8 world news
Monday 11 deceMber 2017

Israeli, French leaders tangle over US Jerusalem decision

By JOSEF FEDERMAN with security forces outside
TIA GOLDENBERG the heavily guarded U.S.
Associated Press Embassy, and Arab foreign
JERUSALEM (AP) — The ministers meeting in Cairo
French and Israeli leaders demanded that the United
sparred verbally Sunday States rescind the decision.
over the U.S. decision to The move upended de-
recognize Jerusalem as Is- cades of U.S. policy, and a
rael’s capital, while new longstanding international
violence rippled across the consensus, that the fate
region following the move of Jerusalem be decided
by U.S. President Donald in negotiations. Israeli and
Trump. Palestinian claims to the
In Jerusalem, a Palestinian city’s eastern sector form
stabbed an Israeli security the emotional core of their
guard, seriously wounding conflict, and Trump’s an-
him in the first attack in the nouncement was seen as
volatile city since Trump’s siding with the Israelis and
pronouncement Wednes- has drawn wide interna-
day. In Beirut, scores of tional criticism.
Lebanese and Palestin- At a meeting in Paris with Is-
ian demonstrators clashed rael’s visiting prime minister,

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attend
a press conference after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Sunday, Dec.10, 2017. French
President Emmanuel Macron “firmly and clearly” condemns all kinds of attacks against Israel in
recent hours and days and reaffirmed his “disapproval” of U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to
recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
(Philippe Wojazer/Pool via AP)
French President Emman- France, Jerusalem is the Trump’s “move could di-
uel Macron condemned capital of Israel,” he said. minish the potential role
recent violence against Is- “We respect your history that the United States could
raelis. But he also expressed and your choices. And we play in the region and cre-
“disapproval” of Trump’s know that as friends, you ate more confusion around
decision, calling it “danger- respect ours.” this.” The meeting could be
ous for peace.” “I think the sooner the Pal- a precursor for what seems
“It doesn’t seem to serve, in estinians come to grips with to be an emerging rift be-
the short term, the cause of this reality, the sooner we tween Israel and the U.S.
Israel’s security and the Is- move toward peace,” he on one side, and Europe
raelis themselves,” Macron added. The exchange be- and the Palestinians on the
said. tween the two allies set the other.
He urged Israel to freeze stage for what could be a Palestinian President Mah-
its construction of settle- tense meeting Monday for moud Abbas has said
ments on occupied lands Netanyahu with European Trump’s decision has in ef-
and called for other confi- Union foreign ministers in fect disqualified the U.S.
dence-building measures Brussels. The Jerusalem issue from continuing in its role
toward the Palestinians. and the moribund peace as the traditional mediator
Israeli Prime Minister Ben- process are expected to of peace talks. The Pales-
jamin Netanyahu, who be high on the agenda. tinians have spent recent
has called Trump’s deci- Last week, EU foreign policy days trying to rally Arab
sion “historic,” said Israel chief Federica Mogherini and broader international
has maintained its capital warned that Trump’s deci- opposition to the decision.
in the city for 70 years and sion “has the potential to EU leaders, including Ma-
the Jewish connection to send us backward to even cron, have reiterated sup-
Jerusalem goes back 3,000 darker times than the one port for establishing an
years. we are already living in.” independent Palestinian
“Paris is the capital of She also warned that state alongside Israel.q